NYCFC adds Medina as third designated player

New York City FC announced the signing of 20-year-old Paraguayan international Jesus Medina as the club’s third designated player on Sunday.

Medina, who joins NYCFC on a transfer from Club Libertad, received a four-year deal. The left-footer fills the designated player spot created by the retirement of Andrea Pirlo this offseason.

Medina made his professional debut with Libertad when he was 15, and is a five-time Paraguayan champion. He has scored 17 goals in 74 appearances and was a key part of the country’s Under-17 and Under-20 teams before breaking through with the senior national team in July 2017 against Mexico.

“We believe that he’s a special talent,” NYCFC head coach Patrick Vieira said in a statement. “Jesus has got talent, he’s got pace, he’s a really good dribbler, and he’s somebody who can assist and score goals as well. For a player of such a young age, he has a really strong character and I think he will be a great addition.”

“Jesus is a talented attacking player who can play as a winger or number 10 and will fit really well into our system and style of play,” added NYCFC Sporting Director Claudio Reyna. “He is a left-footed technical player with a quick turn of pace, who can score and create goals for his teammates.”

Medina joins right backs Saad Abdul-Salaam and Anton Tinnerholm and goalkeeper Brad Stuver as players added by NYCFC this offseason.

“It’s a privilege to be here,” Medina told NYCFC.com. “My first thought when I heard of the interest was that it was a great club, an important club in the United States - it’s a great feeling ... It’s also such a special feeling to have a World Cup winner with France as a head coach [Patrick Vieira]. I think training with such an experienced professional, at my young age, will help me as a player and will hopefully be a great experience for me. He will teach me a lot.”